Back to Oblivion
by Fox-Soul-Writer
Summary: A sequel to A Daedra's Minion. The Vigilants are at it again, only this time they are taking the fight to Cyrodiil in the beginning of the fourth era. Sylvi finds herself trapped back in time and must find a way to stop the Vigilants and get back home without disturbing the time stream. What she really needs are her Daedric allies and a certain vampire Nord to stop the chaos.
1. Chapter 1

_Hey! I'm back with a new story! As I have said before... Sylvi is my character, Celestra Bane belongs to Dragonlegends._  
_This story takes place a short time after A Daedra's Minion._

Chapter 1

Sylvi frowned as she stalked through the wilderness of Skyrim. Celestra had been on edge as of late because of a rumor that had been winding its way through the province. Supposedly some of the Vigilants had gathered together and were playing with a long forbidden form of magic, one that even few at the College still had any understanding of. Time. The Imperial had her doubts that they would be able to actually use time related magic, but Celestra still insisted on looking into the issue.

After some debating Celestra agreed to go to the new hide-out of the Vigilants and try to dig up any information while Sylvi tracked a group of the troublemakers. The Harbinger had tracked the group of five for a few days now and was quickly growing impatient, likely a trait she picked up from growing up with some of the Companions and only exacerbated by her Daedra blood. She grew concerned as the group crossed the boarder into Cyrodiil, a land she hadn't been to in ages. She ducked behind a boulder as the group came to a halt and began making markings in the dirt. It took them almost half an hour to get the symbols made and place the gems and stones in the right place.

She leaned out from behind the boulder and strained to hear what the Vigilants were chanting. From what she could tell it was a language lost to the ages, maybe it was as old as the dragon language, she couldn't be certain. She placed a hand over her mouth to muffle a gasp as one of the Vigilants knelt in the middle of the circle before being run through by one of their companions wielding a dangerous looking blade. Slowly the body fizzled away as if it was being absorbed by the markings on the ground and a foggy portal opened, tendrils of energy wafting from its core.

The Imperial felt a chill run through her body, this was something very unnatural. She got up from her hiding spot and stormed up behind the Vigilants, bow raised and ready for a fight. She let one arrow fly, killing one of the Vigilants in a single shot. The remaining three turned, readying their magic and weapons. The furthest Vigilant began inching towards the portal, which was beginning to look unstable, the tendrils flickering out and lashing about as the fog began to fade. The next three seconds were broken down into four swift movements. Sylvi lunged forward and impaled the closest Vigilant with her dagger, she spun and slashed the blade across the chest of the second Vigilant, then she shot forward and grabbed the final Vigilant, finally she threw him away from the portal, turning as she did so to stand as a barrier between the man and the portal.

She grabbed her bow again and readied another arrow, aiming to pierce the Vigilant's throat when she felt something grab her from behind. She glanced sharply over her shoulder, expecting to see yet another Vigilant pest. Her eyes widened as she saw foggy tendrils wrapping around her arms and torso, gradually tugging her towards the magical fog. She cried out and struggled to get free but the tendrils would not relent. Instead she found herself pulled deep into the fog. She watched the portal's opening as she was dragged through the fog, her heart surging up into her throat as fear took hold of her. The portal closed leaving her in an empty void. She could see a light from the corner of her eye and caught the sound of birds. She turned herself over and found herself staring down at the land of Cyrodiil from a height half of that of The Throat of the World. The tendrils released her as she fell through the portal's exit, letting her plummet towards the ground.

She closed her eyes and braced herself for impact. She tried to murmur wind spells to slow her descent but she knew this landing was going to be a rough one. She hit the ground with a heavy thud, whatever she landed on provided just enough cushioning the save her from death. She opened her eyes after a moment and sat up so she could look at what she had fallen on. She found herself staring at a young Bosmer male with tall, pointy blond hair. She gasped and quickly leapt off the man, "Gods…!" She bent down and nudged the mer, checking him for any signs of life before standing up and backing away. She looked around with wide eyes, she recognized very little of the terrain save for the basic layout of the land.

"Halt! Criminal scum!" a voice boomed a short distance away.  
Sylvi turned and pointed at the guard, "What year is this?!"  
The guard's rage fell away for a moment, "Huh? It's the second year of the fourth era." He shook his head, the rage reappearing on his face as he pointed the dead Bosmer male, "You have violated the law! Pay the fine or go to jail!"  
Sylvi blanked, "What? Oh! No, no! That wasn't my fault! I fell and I didn't see him-"  
"Then you shall pay with your blood!" The man roared.  
"I… What?" The Imperial female looked at the guard as if he had lost his last marble.

Sylvi quickly ducked a swing of the guard's blade before running off across the field. She leapt over a fall tree as she wound her way away from the guard. In the distance she could hear him shouting 'you should have paid the fine!' She could see more guards coming her way as they tried to figure out what was going on. The Imperial quickly veered into the forest and vanished. She ran for a long while before leaning against a tree and panting with exhaustion.

She listened for a moment before relaxing; she was free from the guards for now. She slid down to the dirt and sighed, she was in Cyrodiil at the very start of the fourth era… She rested her forehead against her knees. Her mind raced and she tried to figure out what to do. No doubt the Vigilants would try to get another portal open… Or maybe there were already Vigilants in this time that made it through a portal. Her mind reeled with the possibilities and the chaos that could result. She looked up suddenly as she remembered a tale Celestra had told her. The Imperial smiled, the Dark Brotherhood! If she could find the Dark Brotherhood then she would find Celestra. Sylvi knew that the Nord would be able to help her out.

Sylvi frowned, but what if she changed something in the time stream? She crossed her arms and sighed, no point in fretting over it now. She would keep as much about her and the future secret as she could. She stood up and brushed the dirt off of her armor. She took a moment to get oriented. She was just north of the Imperial City and the city she wanted to get to was far east near Morrowind. Sylvi sighed heavily, it was going to be a long trek to Cheydinhal.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Celestra trudged along a path towards Applewatch farm, a place she hadn't been to in a while. She had originally planned to avoid the area, it bringing back to many bitter and depressing memories for her to stomach on even the best of days, but something seemed different now. She had a dream where Sithis instructed her to go back to Applewatch, she didn't know why but she felt it was worth looking into. As she approached the farm she noticed footprints leading up to the door. They were either left by a very foolish burglar or someone wanted her to know they were in the farm.

Celestra readied her blade as she approached the door and cast a detect life spell. She saw only one person inside. From the form she could guess the intruder was a female. The female seemed to be sitting on a chair on the far side of the room across from the door, hands placed on her lap and sitting up right. It took the Nord a moment to ponder her options before opening the door. Celestra threw the door open, blade clenched in her hand as she stormed into the farm before slamming the heavy wooden door behind in. Her eyes stayed hard but her interest was piqued when the intruder didn't flinch. It was like the female, from the looks an Imperial, was completely at ease with the sudden burst of anger.

The Imperial stood and offered a small, polite smile, "Hello, Celestra."  
Celestra pointed her blade at the female, "Who are you and how do you know my name?"  
"I mean you no harm, trust me… And I know plenty about you. You've told me yourself." The female said calmly.  
"I never told you anything, Imperial." The Nord growled, "You know nothing about me."  
The Imperial merely blinked before speaking up, "Celestra Bane. You were born in Dawnstar with Lucien Lachance." The female glanced down sadly, "The same Lucien who hid and died here… I know you saw him as a brother, and I know you had a deep affection for Vincente Valtieri, a vampire just like you." The strange female looked up with sympathetic eyes, "I know you miss them dearly and regret being tricked by the betrayer of the Brotherhood."

Celestra lunged forward with lightning speed, grabbing the female by the throat and pinning her to the wall. The Imperial's feet dangled a few inches off the ground but the woman showed no signs of struggle. She merely looked at Celestra with a sad, sympathetic gaze. Celestra's rage boiled in her veins, "How do you know this?!"  
"In a hundred and seventy something years you will have told me." The Imperial choked out, "I will be one of the few who know that story, one of the few you trust."  
"What are you talking about?" The Nord's eyes darkened as she raised her blade.  
"I am not from this time. In the time I'm from we are friends. We are great allies." Sylvi explained, "The Vigilants… They are playing with dangerous magic and I got caught in a spell that sent me here… They want to destroy the Daedra and we are fighting to stop them."  
Celestra furrowed her brows, "If I trust you so much… Tell me something I would not tell another living soul."  
Sylvi gasped for air before looking the Nord dead in the eyes, "H-hail Sithis… Killer of the gods."

Celestra's eyes widened as the words echoed in her mind and memories of Morrowind flashed through her consciousness. She released the Imperial and stared at the wall just above the woman's head. Sylvi coughed as she rubbed her throat and gasped for air. She glanced up at the stunned vampire and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, guiding her into a chair. The Imperial pulled a chair up in front of the Listener and watched as she slowly came back to reality. Celestra's voice for quiet, "So you are a friend."  
Sylvi nodded, "Yes. I was going to try find you in Cheydinhal, but Applewatch seemed a more likely place to find you."  
"And everything you say is true? These Vigilants are causing trouble in your time?"  
"Oh yeah… We thought we had them taken care of… But a few remaining pests clustered together. They are using time magic."  
Celestra's eyes widened, "Impossible. Mortals cannot wield that sort of magic! Only Akatosh… By the Nine… Don't tell me…"  
Sylvi shook her head, "I don't believe Akatosh is working with the Vigilants… I'm sure he has other things to be concerned about."  
Celestra's shoulders drooped, "Oh no."  
"You know something about this?" Sylvi leaned forward, "Please, sister, if you can tell me anything…"  
"They found Akatosh's Scroll." Celestra stood up, the chair tipping over behind her from her abrupt movement, "How in Oblivion did they find Auri-El's Scroll?!"  
"I wonder how they do a lot of things…" Sylvi murmured before looking up, "What is Auri-El's Scroll? Do you know where it is?"  
Celestra frowned, "It's supposedly a scroll written by Auri-El, or Akatosh if that's what you wish to call him. It is also called the Scroll of the Time Dragon... And I have no idea… No one knows where it is. Only a few people even know about the myths behind that Scroll." She ran a nervous hand through her hair, "This is really bad…"

Sylvi stood up and looked the Nord straight in the eyes, "Celestra… You can read Elderscrolls. Do you think we could find one that might help us?"  
Celestra furrowed her brows and pursed her lips. The Nord did not look happy about what she was about to say. She looked up at the Imperial, "You aren't going to like this…" She took a breath, "We are going to have to get some Daedric Princes to help us. Mephala might have a scroll… But we need some Princes to take our side. We need back up so Mephala knows just how serious we are. Are you up for dealing with Daedra?"  
"Trust me, I've dealt with them enough back in my time to be perfectly at ease with them." Sylvi chuckled wryly.

Celestra nodded as she walked to the door and motioned for Sylvi to follow her. The Nord stopped as she opened the door and looked back at her future ally, "Do I ever get over Lucien and Vincente?"  
"You forgive yourself." Sylvi stated simply with another sympathetic look.  
Celestra nodded slowly, "I don't suppose you can tell me anything of my future?"  
Sylvi shook her head, "I don't want to say anything that might disturb the time line. Me being here is probably trouble enough."

Celestra nodded again as she walked down the dirt road towards Shadowmere. As she hopped onto the steed as offered a hand to Sylvi, "Let's go find us some Princes."  
"I want to go to Clavicus Vile's shrine first." Sylvi said as she was helped up onto the horse. She chuckled softly as the Listener gave her a curious look, "I'm just trying to make sure nothing in the future is changed. I am just taking precautionary measures."  
Celestra smirked, "You work with Daedra, hm?"  
"Something like that." Sylvi said as Shadowmere took off down the path. It was going to be a long trip but the Harbinger had a good feeling about which three Daedric Princes would take hers and Celestra's side in the matter.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sylvi slid off of Shadowmere and made her way towards the small statue that Celestra pointed out. Celestra arched a brow as she watched the Imperial walk up to the statue and stare up at it for a moment before her shoulders began to shake. The Listener moved to her friend's side, "Are you okay?"  
Sylvi burst out laughing, "He's adorable! Oh man, I've never seen this form! He's so tiny! And look at that little horn!"

Celestra glanced around the shrine and was relieved to find no one was there, much to her surprise. She turned her gaze to the highly amused Imperial who was still in stitches over the small version of Clavicus Vile. Celestra smirked and tried to bite back a snicker as the Imperial cooed at the statue like it was a child.

"Enough! Just who do you think you are, you annoying mortal?!" The statue shouted, its voice a tad higher than was Sylvi was expecting. In fact Sylvi stared at the statue for a brief moment before doubling over with laughter. "Disrespectful worm! I'll show you!" Calvicus raged.  
"No, no, m'lord." Sylvi said between giggles, "I think this form is adorable. Though I do prefer your other form, a bit more manly." She poked the statue's leg, "Aren't you just the cutest little thing?"  
"W-w-what?!" Clavicus sputtered, "What is the meaning of this?!"

Celestra stepped forward and stood between Sylvi and the statue. The Nord looked up at the Daedric Prince's statue and cleared her throat, "We want to make a deal."  
"And why should I agree?" The statue hissed.  
"Because this means the difference between the Princes existing or not." Celestra stated, "Apparently some idiots from my friend's time have-"  
"Wait, wait, wait. Her 'time'?" The voice asked, "Oh, you are kidding me… Time magic?"  
"Auri-El's Scroll to be exact." The Nord frowned.

The statue fell silent for a long while. Finally he spoke again, "Are you certain?"  
Celestra nodded, "I need to speak to Mephala and use the scroll she has."  
The statue groaned like a frustrated child, "Fine, but I need you to do something for me. Bring me Umbra. If you can't do that then don't come back."

Sylvi looked like she was about to say something as the statue fell silent but Celestra grabbed the Imperial and dragged her away before she could say anything to further irritate the Daedric Prince. The duo made their way to a nearby town and began asking around to see if anyone knew about an 'Umbra'. A man pointed them in the direction of a ruin a short distance from the town where they would find what they were looking for.

As they entered the ruin Celestra glanced around with her vampire eyes, checking for hidden attackers and traps. She hummed as she looked around, "Careful, this place is laid out like a mine field."  
"To an amateur, yes." Sylvi grinned, her voice far from Celestra.  
Celestra looked over and saw the woman standing on the other side of the room with a content smile on her face, "Not bad."  
"I learned from some of the best sneaks in-" Sylvi began before trailing off. She did not want to tell Celestra anything about Skyrim and its future.

The two women made their way through the ruin, avoiding the traps that had been set up. They spotted a woman dressed in ebony armor standing in the middle a dimly lit chamber. Sylvi leaned over the railing, "Hello!"  
The woman looked up with a sad expression, "You shouldn't be here."  
"I'm just looking for Umbra."  
"Umbra is the name of my sword." The woman stated.

Sylvi got the woman talking while Celestra snuck up behind her. Sylvi looked down at the woman with a sad expression, "You didn't mean to kill those people in the town." The woman nodded and Sylvi glanced away, "You should not feel guilty. It was not your fault." Sylvi closed her eyes as the sound of metal slicing flesh broke the silence followed by something heavy falling to the floor. She stared at the wall as Celestra came back with the sword. Celestra could tell from the Imperial's expression that she was not fond of killing and merely remained silent.

The walk back to the shrine was short but still silent. Sylvi did not chide or critique Celestra, she seemed to accept the assassin's actions even though she was not fond of them. As they approached the shrine Celestra held out the sword, which vanished in a dark blue halo.  
"Oh, so you did find it." The statue mused, "And it seems the laughing worm has been silenced."  
"You better take care of that woman's soul." Sylvi glared.  
"Is that your wish?" she could hear the smirk in his voice.  
"So you will help us barter with Mephala?" Celestra cut in, her eyes sharp as daggers.  
"I suppose so." Clavicus sighed, "A deal is a deal."  
"We are going to find some more Princes to side with us." Celestra explained.  
"Then I shall wait, I suppose." Clavicus huffed, "Just don't take too long."

Their next stop was the shrine of Sheogorath, which was thankfully not too far from where they had been. His task was simple enough, go to a town and stir up some 'fun'. Celestra had managed to 'charm' the information she needed from one of the people of the small town using her unholy vampire gifts, now all that remained was seeing that a prophecy was fulfilled. Celestra turned invisible while Sylvi got to work setting everything up.

Sylvi snuck into a nearby building and swiped a particularly smelly piece of cheese from its locked casing, not very amused by how easy a task it was. The Kahjiit woman hadn't even paid attention to her as she entered the shop. The Imperial strolled out of the shop and dropped the cheese into a pot that was left over an open flame with nothing inside. Sylvia rolled her eyes, "This place is fucking ridiculous."  
"Oh I know." Celestra's voice whispered beside Sylvi. A swarm of giant rats started to pour into the town, following the scent of the cheesy ooze within the pot. Celestra smirked, still cloaked by her spell, "I'll handle the sheep…"

The town's leader ran up to where Sylvi was and began throwing rat poison onto the ground which Sylvi quickly scooped back up when he wasn't looking. She tossed the poison into a crate and watched as the rats frolicked about merrily. Soon she heard another Kahjiit crying out about the dead sheep. From what Sylvi could understand the sheep just seemed to drop dead, just like the prophecy foretold.

Celestra appeared beside Sylvi with a satisfied smirk on her face, "Way too easy. Those idiots didn't even look for bite marks on the sheep."  
The two girls watched as the Kahjiit ran around in the town when Sheogorath's voice called from the sky, which was not turning dark. "Good job, girlies! Now, head to the center of the town… And you might want to duck!" His voice called out, filled with amusement, "Oh, and consider our deal made."

The duo made their way into the center of the town and looked up at the sky, waiting to see what the Mad God had in mind. They both gaped as dogs fell from the sky on fire. Sylvi turned to look at the Nord, "Huh, I thought he would make it rain fiery cheese. Not bad though."

Their final stop was Sanguine's shrine. Celestra seemed happy to be returning to the Prince of Debauchery's shrine. As the duo approached the shrine the statue called out, "Celestra! Good to see you again! Come to have some more fun I hope?"  
"Actually, my friend here needs something of you." Celestra chuckled.  
"…Do I owe her money?" the statue inquired.  
"No." Sylvi giggled, "Trust me, you owe me nothing. I am here because-"  
"Oh, I know why you are here. Vile and Sheogorath told me." The statue laughed wholeheartedly, "Did you really call him 'cute' and 'adorable'?"  
"And small with a tiny little horn." Sylvi winked, "He's as touchy as ever."  
"Ah, you know Clavicus."  
"Oh, I do."  
"Hm?" the statue hummed, his tone interested and amused, "You say that like you know him well."  
"It's nothing really." Sylvi commented, "So, will you help us?"  
"Ah, ah, ah." Sanguine said, "You have to do something for me first. Celestra, you still know the spell I gave you?" Celestra nodded. "Good. I want you to go to the Imperial city and cast the spell at a party in the royal courtyard. Those parties can be so boring. I think they need some spice added to their plans. Don't you agree?"  
"Consider it done." Celestra grinned before looking at her companion, "Come on, I'm going to show you how we have fun in this time."

Sylvi and Celestra snuck into the Imperial courtyard easily and found the perfect hiding place amidst a bunch of flower bushes and trees. The two women didn't have to wait long before the courtyard was filled with people. Once there was a large enough crowd that the guards would not be able to spot them easily the two pranksters snuck out from their hiding spot and found a place in the middle of the crowd. Celestra smirked, "I hope you aren't too shy."  
Sylvi groaned, "I know the spell you are going to use… I just hope no one spots us as we flee for our naked lives."  
Celestra laughed, "Have a little fun." She lifted her hand a bit and cast the spell.

A green smokey swirl of energy wound its way around the party. When it faded away everyone in the courtyard was nude. What followed next was a chaotic blur of screams, yelps, and running naked bodies as people scrambled to find clothes or something to cover themselves. Celestra burst out laughing as the guards scrambled around, covering themselves with their shields. One guard merely stood by the door with a bored expression on his face, his sword stabbed into the ground in front of him as if to obstruct anyone's view. Celestra laughed, "Now that guy knows how to have fun!"

The two women were soon surrounded by a dark energy that whisked them from the courtyard. When they reappeared they found themselves standing in the middle of a Daedric Prince's realm. Mephala stood before them, tall and slender, all four arms crossed, her flowing black dress with gossamer netting draping off her body. Sheogorath, Sanguine, Clavicus Vile and Barbas stood on either side of the Webspinner.

Sanguine laughed, "Good job!"  
Celestra shrugged, "It wasn't bad. Now, our clothes?" She pointed at Sylvi, who was busy trying to cover herself and hide her red face, "I don't think the Imperial can take much more fun."  
Sanguine pouted, "Oh fine." He snapped his fingers and the women's clothes reappeared on their bodies.

Mephala stepped forward and looked at the two women, "I know why you are here." She pointed at Sylvi, "I have something very important to tell you. If you want to save the Daedric Princes you will have to make a very hard decision."


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks to Dragonlegends for helping me edit this chapter to explain Mephala's scroll!_

Chapter 4

A cold wind caressed them as they stood in Mephala's realm. The Daedric Prince, in a female form, stood before Sylvi with a blank yet serious expression. Sylvi felt her heart rate pick up and her muscles tense, this was not going to be good. Fears started to run through her mind; can I not go home? Is there no home to return to? Have I changed the time line? Was this all a huge mistake? Mephala raised her hand and a large, ornate scroll that seemed to glow with a dark essence appeared. She handed it to Celestra without looking at the Nord, "You came to me wanting to know what the future holds for you... For that you will need my scroll, it works similar to those elderscrolls you mortals faun over. Listener, you can read these, correct? I want you to start reading when I tell you so."

Mephala stared calmly at Sylvi for a moment before speaking, "First of all, I can get you home. I…" she frowned in mild displeasure, "I managed to speak to Akatosh… He will send you back to your time and your home." Her expression went neutral again, "Secondly, I want you to keep an open mind about what my scroll has to say." She tilted her head up and crossed her arms, "Finally, I want you to find Akatosh's Scroll in your time and destroy it."  
"You want me to destroy something crafted by a god?" Sylvi asked, her voice a mixture of disbelieve and confusion.  
"That Scroll was never meant to be with mortals, and clearly it is too dangerous to be left with them." She frowned, "If anyone else finds out about that Scroll there will be no safe place to hide it from thieves, bandits, and those seeking power and status."

Sylvi nodded and looked at the ground. She had no idea how she could possibly destroy something so powerful. Mephala seemed to read her body language, "My scroll will explain everything." She nodded to Celestra, signaling the Nord to begin reading the ancient script.

Celestra opened the scroll and stared at the page, her eyes going blank and glazing over as she started to read it. Sylvi tensed as she watched her friend read the scroll. She knew the Nord could read Elderscrolls, but she had never seen it done herself. The Harbinger suddenly felt very anxious, fearing Celestra might lose her sight like so many do when they read an Elderscroll. Celestra spoke up, "I see someone, their form is hidden as a shadow… They are surrounded by flames as people fall around them. From their chest I see an energy… It is very dark… Or… A soul?" Celestra's eyes widened, "A dark soul… It's power pulses strongly, keeping the flames that would burn any normal being and turn them to ash… This person…" Celestra trailed off.  
"Go on." Mephala stated firmly.

"It's a Daedric soul… It's a Prince's soul. This person has the soul working within them! This person doesn't look like any Daedric Prince I've known!" Celestra looked completely confused, "I don't understand…" Her eyes widened, "I see an explosion… Fire, chaos-" She dropped the scroll as her eyes returned to their normal state. Her hands, still raised like they were holding the scroll, shook. Her mouth was open in utter shock. She turned her gaze to Sylvi, "I saw your eyes. You have the same eyes as the shadow…"

Sylvi backed away, "No! I have no Daedric soul! How would I even get one?!"  
Mephala muttered darkly, "There are a few ways… One would be to kill a Daedric Prince and claim his soul."  
Sylvi shook her head violently, "No! Even if I wanted to, I can't kill a Daedric Prince! I'm mortal, I could never be strong enough to do that, let alone destroy the sacred Scroll of Akatosh!" Her eyes pleaded for an explanation, "You don't expect me to kill one of you… Do you?"  
"What you do next is your choice, child." Mephala stated. She caught sight of a small, circular light forming around Sylvi's feet, "Our time is up. I trust you will do the proper thing, even if it seems impossible."

Celestra watched as the Imperial vanished in a sphere of light before looking at the Princes. They could read her expression clearly. Celestra looked back at where her friend once stood before shaking her head, "She can't kill one of you. She won't."  
"It is hard to say anything for certain when a person is put into such an extreme situation." The Webspinner shrugged, "Now, if you would excuse me."

Sylvi reappeared in a field near Solitude. She shook with fear and confusion, her eyes wide and mouth agape. She barely registered the sound of people rushing her behind her. She turned slightly and saw Celestra, Sanguine, Clavicus and Barbas come to a halt a few feet away. Celestra read her expression and looked away sadly. Sylvi shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but no words would form.  
Sanguine glanced at the small half Daedra, "Kid…"  
"I can't." She shook her head, "I can't kill any of you. I couldn't bear to take the life of someone I care for."

Celestra walked over and placed a consoling hand on the Imperial's shoulder. The group fell silent for a long time. The only noise came from the rustling leaves and bushes as the wind picked up, even the birds, deer, and elk were silent. The sun shone brightly but the air felt cold, more so than usual. Sylvi looked up at the sky, "I need a sign… Akatosh, if this is some test, please just tell me. Tell me how to do this… I don't want to kill any Daedra…"

A deep, rumbling voice cut in, making everyone jump, "I don't think there's much choice." The group turned to see the other Daedric Princes appear closeby. Nocturnal cast a sympathetic gaze to her Nightingale. Sheogorath was silent, looking quite solemn, which would be enough to alert the densest of people to the fact that something bad was going on. Molag Bal spoke up again, "So, do you know how's soul you want? Or will I be choosing for you?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sylvi frowned as she stared at Molag Bal. Even though it had been a few months since she had discovered her connection to the Daedric Prince she was no closer to him, in fact she frequently voiced her growing dislike of the Prince. She levelled a glare at the brutal man, "You want to volunteer?"  
Molag Bal snorted, "Oh, you have no chance of killing me, girl."  
"Enough." Azura hissed, "It doesn't need to be this way."  
Molag Bal shrugged, "I could do without seeing some Daedra ever again."  
"If you are going to start a fight then I suggest you leave." Azura growled before turning away from the other Prince.

Sylvi ran a hand through her hair as she stared at the ground. She had no idea what to do. Mehrunes Dagon huffed as he crossed his arms, muttering something about 'why can't we just go kill them ourselves?' The Princes already knew that if they were spotted anywhere near the Vigilants then they might do something drastic. It was far too risky. Molag Bal frowned as his mace appeared in his hand, "You have one minute, then I will make the choice for you! We can't waste any more time!"  
"Don't threaten her." Clavicus stepped forward.  
"And what are you going to do about it?" Molag Bal stepped forward.  
"Guys, let's be calm." Sanguine said quickly, "No point in killing each other, we've already got enemies for that."

Molag Bal smirked down at Clavicus, "Well, little man? You want to offer your soul up? Not like there'd be a real difference with you gone."  
"Enough of this!" Sylvi shouted, fire appearing in her hands.  
"Be quiet, mutt." Molag Bal spat.  
Clavicus jabbed a finger into the larger Daedra's chest, "I think we could all do with you vanishing, Bal."  
"Oh, really now?" The larger Daedra frowned. He brought his weapon up swiftly before smashing it down on the smaller Daedra's head. He stood over Clavicus, who was now unconscious and crumpled up on the ground, and arched a brow, "I don't think you are in any position to make insults."

He brought his foot up, ready to stomp the other Prince into the ground. Before the other Princes could grab Molag Bal a fire ball lifted the attacking Prince into the air and sent him flying away from the group. Sylvi quickly knelt down to check if her master was okay. She glared up at Molag Bal, "Be thankful if I don't come back for your soul!" She looked at Boethiah, "You keep Celestra safe." She glanced at Sanguine, "Get us out of here. Now."

Sanguine nodded and he, along with Sylvi, Clavicus Vile, and Barbas, vanished from Nirn. Celestra growled and hissed something under her breath at Molag Bal before Boethiah grabbed her and they too vanished. Slowly the Princes who could be on Nirn vanished one by one. Even as everyone separated the tension hung around them like a heavy cloak. If Sylvi was going to become as strong as they thought, they, save for Molag Bal, feared that she might actually pick a fight with her grandfather.

In Clavicus's realm Sanguine set the unconscious Prince down on a bed. Barbas sat close by looking very concerned. Sylvi sat on the edge of the bed with a scowl on her face. Sanguine pulled up a chair and took a seat, "Think clearly. Don't let Molag's attitude get to you."  
"He would have killed Clavicus and you know it." Sylvi growled.  
"That is something we, the Daedric Princes, will deal with. Just leave it be." Sanguine warned her, "Now… About the current dilemma," He looked at his friend on the bed, "Er… dilemmas."  
"He will be okay, right?"  
"Clavicus? Oh yeah. Just give him time to rest and heal. We are a pretty sturdy race." Sanguine smiled, trying to alleviate some of the tension.  
"I need a Prince's a soul… But I can't take one… I either can't kill him or I don't want to hurt those who I see as allies…" She shook her head, "I… Sanguine… Please, give me some guidance." She lowered her face to her hands, "I wish Kodlak was still alive…"

Sanguine frowned as he looked around the room. After a moment he sighed, "There are two ways to do this without killing someone." He saw her look up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "One of us could 'give' you a soul, though that is very tricky and could be dangerous for one of us. The second way would be merging your soul with one of us. You'd share a Prince's soul but you would have your own mind and body still." He sighed heavily, "We only have limited choices for that though… I think we could only look to Nocturnal, Sheo, myself, or Clavicus for help with either of those choices." He offered a small smile, "Frankly I'd prefer you not to merge souls or anything with Sheo… Don't want him messing with your mind or anything… And I'm not sure if he'd want to give up his soul."  
"Nocturnal wouldn't agree to it…" Sylvi said softly, "She's got Karliah and the others to look over." She looked at Sanguine and sighed, "That leaves you and Clavicus."

Sanguine chuckled as he stood up, "It's your choice. I'll give you a few minutes to think about it. If you want to merge souls then I will perform the ritual for you." He saw the wide eyed expression on her face, "Well, Clavicus isn't awake to help and I don't think I could get one of the others hear fast enough. Think about it. I will get a soul gem in case you decide to take a soul."

Sylvi rested her forehead on the heel of her palm and sighed softly. Barbas stayed quiet for a moment before walking over and resting his snout on her knee, "He would give you his soul if he was awake."  
"I don't want to kill him… But… If I merge my soul with his… Without his permission…" Sylvi groaned with frustration.  
Barbas glanced up at her, "I don't think there's really any other choice. I'm sure he'll get over it if he is upset when he wakes up."

Sylvi looked up at the ceiling, "Using a soul gem on Molag Bal is so tempting right now…" She clenched her fists as she glared up at the stone motif. She stood up and stalked towards the door. She knew what she wanted to do. She wasn't too happy about it, and she knew she was likely going to get an earful over it.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Sylvi stalked her way through a dense forest, making her way to a hidden ruin where Sanguine said the Vigilants would be gathered. Her chest still burned with the feeling of a Daedric soul in her body, but it was slowly getting better. The ritual had been painful, but her soul was merged with Clavicus' the pain began to dissipate. She looked up at the ruin's entrance and frowned, energy crackling off her fingertips. She took a breath and let the new energy consume her. Her skin to black as the night sky and seemed to have little wisps of smoke coming off of it. Her pupils were slits and her fangs looked like belonged to vicious wolf. Her claws were longer and seemed even more vicious, and her tail waved behind like a whip made of shadows.

One of the Vigilants was leaving the ruin as she approached the heavy stone door. He barely had time to cry out and alert the others before Sylvi's claws slid through his torso. Her claws slid from the body, letting it drop to the stone floor. There was no point in moving the corpse. Celestra was likely taking care of any straggling Vigilants with the help of Boethiah. The Imperial slid through the ruin's entrance and started making her way to the main chamber of the complex.

It was almost as if she ghosted over to a Vigilant who had their back turned but she cut the unfortunate enemy down. As she moved torches went out as if a cold wind had put them out. As she wound her way through the tunnels, moving past the bodies that fell before her, her objectives kept running through her mind. Find the Vigilant's leader, destroy the scroll, and kill anyone who gets in her way. Her face, from what visible amongst the shadows, was void of emotion, as were her eyes.

She came to the main chamber and found herself standing on a large pillar above the Vigilants. She could see one of them dawned in brilliant gold robes holding the sacred Scroll. The Scroll seemed to have fiery energy coming from it, yet it didn't burn the leader's hands. A feral growl rumbled through her throat but was not heard by her enemies. She watched the Vigilants gather in a large circle as the leader began to unroll the Scroll. Now was her time to strike. She raised her hands and felt lightning and fire dance on her fingers. Killing the normal Vigilants wasn't going to be a problem. The real problem lay with their leader. Sylvi threw her arms into the air, a storm of fire and lightning forming around her. With a snarl she threw her arms down, letting the forces of Oblivion fall upon her unsuspecting victims.

When the chaos faded all that was left standing was the Vigilant's ring leader and the most basic bits of the chamber's foundations. Sylvi could hear the structure buckle and creak as she leapt from her perch and stared at the Vigilant with Akatosh's Scroll. The man pointed a finger at her and snarled, "Monster! How dare you show your face here?!"  
"How dare you use a god's power." Sylvi's voice hissed through the air. She raised a clawed hand, ready to strike.  
"I have the Scroll! There is no way a beast like you can defeat me!" The man shouted, "I have Akatosh at my side!"  
"Then let Akatosh intervene if he is such an ally to you." Sylvi stated before lunging forward.

The Vigilant flicked open the Scroll, sending a wave of fire that knocked Sylvi back a few feet. She hissed darkly as the room filled with fire. She fixed her eyes on the Scroll and felt her blood boil. She shot forward, the shadowy wisps coming off her skin keeping the flame at bay. She lashed out with her claws only to be met with a fiery shield summoned by the Vigilant. Her hands shot out as she sent a beam of dark energy surging towards her target. The Vigilant responded with a beam of his own fiery magic, the energy being borrowed from the sacred Scroll.

Around them the chamber began to crumble. They only had a few minutes before they were both buried under gods know how many feet of rubble and dirt. The Vigilant cried out, "Akatosh! Help me destroy the monster before me! Just like you did when you helped Martin Septim defeat Mehrunes Dagon!" The man's face erupted in a grin as he stared past Sylvi.

Sylvi blinked in confusion as the man's expression slowly changed to one of horror. She could feel the beam, that had been slowly overpowering her, begin to wane. With a final burst of her energy her beam of darkness overcame of the fires of the Scroll and buried the Vigilant into the wall behind him. She shot forward and raised her claws, ready to run them through her enemy's torso. The open Scroll was all the stood between her claw and the Vigilant's body. The Scroll seemed to attempt to repel her darkness clad hand. Sweat beaded on her forehead and rolled down her face as she forced her claws forward. As the tips of her claws touched the Scroll sparks erupted and spat at both her and her enemy. With a final howl of rage her claws drove through the Scroll and into the Vigilant's torso.

She watched at the Vigilant's eyes went dim before removing her claws from her prey and staggering backwards. The Vigilant now lay on the ground before her, the Scroll rolling from his hands. The Scroll crackled and slowly faded away like fire eating away a piece of paper. The room soon cooled as the fire disappeared, leaving nothing but carnage and a chill in the air. The ceiling above her buckled and creaked, part of a wall collapsed behind her that blocked her exit.

Sylvi panted for air but only took in smoke and dust. She coughed and sputtered as her legs gave out. She collapsed onto the chamber's floor, the cool stone tiles relaxing her slightly. Her energy was completely depleted and she barely had enough strength to look up as someone stood over her. She glanced up as saw a figure shrouded in light, large dragon-like wings sprouting from their back. She could barely murmur the word 'Akatosh?' before her face fell to the cool stone floor again. She was barely conscious of a pair of warm arms picking her up before her world fell into darkness.

Clavicus' eyes shot open, pupils narrowed and jaw tense. Unfortunately for Sanguine, he had been leaning over his wounded friend when the other Prince awoke and found said Prince's hand gripping his throat like a vice. Clavicus' breath was heavy and his eyes were dark, "What's going on?"  
Sanguine grabbed his friend's wrist and carefully pried the hand from his airway, "Well, nice to see you too."  
Clavicus arched a brow and looked completely confused as the rage in his chest slowly faded before vanishing completely. Clavicus furrowed his brows, "What in all the realms of Oblivion…?"  
"I see the ritual took full effect." Sanguine stated.

It took Clavicus half a minute before the full meaning of the words sunk in. He sat bolt up, throwing the blanket off of his body and pushing Sanguine away so he could get up, "You didn't!"  
"And why would you suspect me?" Sanguine asked, a small, wry smirk tugging at his lips.  
"Why not you?!" Clavicus shouted.  
Barbas trotted into the room, "Oh, I see Clavicus is up."  
Clavicus pointed at the small Daedra, "Where is Sylvi?!"

Barbas paused to think for a second, but before he could speak his master vanished in a burst of dark energy. Sanguine blinked, eyes wide and lips pursed, "Do you think he's mad?"

Clavicus appeared outside a large ruined complex and looked around. He could sense Sylvi's energy somewhere in the complex. He moved to approach the ruin when it crumbled before collapsing in on itself. He gaped at the rubble in disbelief and felt Sylvi's energy vanish, "No… No!"

He looked over as a figure appeared, dressed in flowing robes that looked like they were made of light. The figure's large wings were a dead give-away to anyone. Akatosh stood a few feet away with Sylvi in his arms. Her energy was faint and her body was slowly returning to normal, the shadows fading and falling away. Clavicus glared at the Divine, "Hand her over!"  
"You believe that I wish to keep this one's soul?" Akatosh asked simply, his voice melodic and clear, "She has done a great service for me… My Scroll was not meant to fall into the hands of mortals like the Vigilants."  
Clavicus shouted, "Hand her over!"  
"Why do you demand this?" Akatosh asked, tilting his head up and arching a brow, "Because you share a soul with her now? I could fix that for her. Give her a pure soul."  
"What soul is pure anything?" Clavicus hissed, "Now give her to me." He growled as the Divine merely stared at him, "She is mine! She is my minion, and mine to protect!"

Akatosh let his gaze scan over the Daedric Prince before nodding and handing the Imperial over, "I trust you will treat this girl well." He turned to leave before pausing. He looked over at Sylvi and hummed in thought. He walked over and placed two fingers on her forehead. His fingers glowed for a moment before he removed them, leaving a spot on the Imperial's forehead that glowed for a few seconds before fading away. Clavicus' grip tighten around the small half Daedra, "What did you just do to her?"  
"I gave her the knowledge of my Scroll. I want to see what she does with it. Maybe she will write the Scroll herself, maybe she will pass it on to those she deems worthy…" Akatosh stated before walking away, "I have a feeling she will do the right thing. She has tried to so far." With that the Divine faded away.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sylvi opened her eyes and looked around the room she was in. She pinched the bridge of her nose as images flashed in her mind. As the images ran through her mind she saw Akatosh's face before the images faded away. She frowned, "I wish he had warned me about that first…"  
"And I wish you would have warned me before merging your soul with mine." Clavicus stated casually.

Sylvi sat up and saw Clavicus leaning against the wall beside the bed. He seemed to smirk at her surprised expression. She lowered her eyes, "About that…" She cleared her throat, "The others were busy either dealing with Molag Bal or weeding out any straggling Vigilants. I couldn't go to Nocturnal, Sheogorath…"  
"Out of the question." Clavicus stated quickly.  
"That's what Sanguine said." She chuckled softly, "And Sanguine… I know I could have asked him to give me his soul…" She fell silent and after a few moments of silence in the room she murmured, "Sorry… If there's a way to reverse the ritual-"  
Clavicus shrugged, "It's fine." He caught her surprised look, "Did he explain what the ritual implies."  
Sylvi froze, "It means nothing. I don't really care what it implies. All it means is that I could destroy Akatosh's Scroll and protect the Daedra." She spoke quickly, her eyes darting around.

Clavicus turned and walked towards the fireplace, a small smirk tugging at his lips, "Good to hear. You know I was thinking of visiting Azura… Maybe spend some quality time with her."  
Sylvi paused for a brief second, "Azura is truly wonderful. I hold her in high regard."  
"Oh, yes." He grinned, still looking at the fire, "Sanguine's given me some tips I might find use of."  
Sylvi chuckled slightly, glancing at the far side of the room opposite to her master, "I would imagine him to be quick knowledgeable in that area."  
"And you would be fine with that?" He asked.  
"O-of course! I would be perfectly fine with serving both you and Azura." She stated quickly.  
"Okay… Now say that without lying." He turned and smirked at the wide eyed expression on Sylvi's face.

Sylvi gaped at the Daedra before shaking her head, "I do respect Azura, I'm sure Sanguine's a master of the romantic arts, and I truly would be fine serving you and Azura."  
Clavicus rolled his eyes, "I can read your soul now, Sylvi."

She lowered her eyes and fell silent. She looked up as the door to the room was flung open and Sanguine, Sheogorath, and Barbas entered the room. Sheogorath sat down on the bed, half falling on it and making Sylvi bounce off the matt, "Hey, so you're one of us now! Welcome to the team, lass!" He nudged her with his elbow, "Don't worry, lass! Old Sheo will give you tips on surviving in the realms!"  
Sylvi's face fell, "Wait, can I not return to Nirn?!"  
Sheogorath burst out laughing, "Of course you can! My, jumpy one aren't ya? You aren't a Daedric Prince, so you can come and go as you please!" He winked, "So, how are you enjoying that merged soul of yours?"  
Sylvi bristled, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Sanguine and Sheogorath burst out laughing at the young woman's red face and averted gaze. Sanguine tapped her nose, "Don't worry, kiddo. I can give you some tips." He winked and ruffled her hair.  
Sylvi frowned, "I don't know why everyone's making this seem like some intimate thing! Yes, we share a soul, fine. But it's not like we're together or anything! We aren't! There's nothing funny going on between us!"

Barbas looked up at Clavicus and saw something flicker in his eyes for a brief moment as his shoulders dropped a quarter of an inch. He looked at his master with a curious expression. He'd had seen a reaction anything like that in a long time. Sheogorath cut in with a loud voice, a broad smile on his face, "Says the girl who's had a crush on her master for how long now?"  
Sylvi's face turned as red as a tomato, "Th-that means nothing!"  
Sanguine snickered as he nudged Sheogorath's shoulder, "Have you seen Clavicus mope when Sylvi's not around? It's adorable in the most hilarious of ways! Eh, Barbas?"  
Barbas' shoulders shook as he tried to hide his laughter, "He does seem lonely."  
"Okay, everyone out!" Clavicus shouted and pointed at the door, "I think she needs to rest more, so everyone… Get out now!"

As Sheogorath passed through the threshold with Sanguine and Barbas, "I think the wee man is embarrassed… Isn't that simple adorable! Almost like that little horn of his back in Cyrodiil!"

Clavicus slammed the door shut and muttered something dark under his breath. Sylvi covered her mouth to try and stifle her laughter, but to no avail. She stood up, her legs still a bit shaky, and stretched, murmuring something about going home to see Celestra and tell her the good news about the Vigilants' defeat. Before Clavicus could respond she vanished from the room. He sighed with frustration as he stared at the spot where she had been standing, "That girl…"

Sylvi had sent a courier to find Celestra, figuring she was at the Dawnstar sanctuary. It didn't take long before Celestra was at Sylvi's house. Sylvi explained what had happened in the ruined complex and what she saw when she had woken up. Celestra's eyes lit up as Sylvi spoke about the Scroll's information in her mind, "What do you plan on doing with it?"  
"I figured I would maybe write it down in pieces… Several scrolls or something." She smiled at Celestra, "Would you like to give me a hand writing them?"  
"So… These will be Daedric Scrolls then?" The Listener smirked, "That'll be something new. And how will they be read?"  
Sylvi paused to think, "They would need either of our permission." She grinned, "I don't foresee either of us going anywhere in the near future, and even if, gods forbid, something were to happen… I think our 'masters' would keep us around still, just in their realms. When someone wants to read the scrolls they must somehow contact or summon either or both of us. We will open the scroll to them if we deem them worthy."  
"Sounds interesting." Celestra hummed, "And how will we write them and seal them?"  
Sylvi thought for a long while, "Maybe… We write them with our magic, encoding them words in a way."  
Celestra nodded, "Perhaps."

Sylvi looked up, "The background for these scroll should be Akatosh's emblem… Since the knowledge is from his scroll." She smiled, "It only seems fair. And it will give people a pause for thought." She smiled as Celestra nodded in agreement, amusement flashing in her eyes.

It was early in the morning when the two parted. Celestra had to get back to the sanctuary and Sylvi was beginning to feel tired. Once her friend was gone, Sylvi teleported herself back into Clavicus' castle. As she made her way down a corridor she spotted Barbas resting in one of the vacant rooms. She tiptoed into the room and draped a blanket over the Daedra before leaving the room. She entered the room she had been resting in and saw her master asleep on the bed. She looked around and saw no one else around her. She made her way over to the side of the bed and looked over the Prince. She grabbed a blanket that was folded at the end of the bed and carefully draped it over him.

She turned to leave only to yelp as a hand grabbed her wrist. She turned hesitantly and saw Clavicus staring at her. He blinked sleepily before sitting up, "Why are you sneaking around?"  
"I didn't mean to wake you." She said quickly, "I just wanted to make sure you and Barbas were okay before I went to rest."

He shuffled over and patted the spot beside him before lying down again. Sylvi hesitated before lying down beside him, keeping a good amount of space between them. Her body was tense as she looked up at the ceiling. Clavicus opened his eyes, "Do I scare you?"  
"What? No." Sylvi stated, giving him a weird look before looking back at the ceiling, "What makes you ask that? You're one of the last people I would be afraid of."  
"You act like you are afraid to be close to me, which normally doesn't seem like an issue." He stated.  
She closed her eyes, "I'm not scared. I'm just tired."

Her eyes shot open and she felt herself shrink as her master hovered over her, arms supporting him above her. He arched a brow, "You look like you want to run." He looked away, "If it's because of the ritual…"  
Sylvi remained silent for a long while. Eventually she spoke, her voice small and quiet, "I…"

Clavicus moved back to his side of the bed and laid down, murmuring an apology. It was silent for a while before he heard her voice, "You missed me?"  
He was silent for a moment, "You sound surprised."  
"I didn't think you cared enough to miss me. I am just a minion after all." She stated.  
Clavicus sighed, "People, even Daedra, can surprise you if you give them a chance."  
"Last time I let a Daedra surprise me it almost bit off my face." She stated with a wry smirk.  
Clavicus chuckled before looking at Sylvi, "I'm surprised you have any attachments to me."  
Sylvi frowned, "Well… At first I thought you were just an ass with an ego… But you have gotten better." She poked him, "You do care about your friends, and whether you want to admit it or not, you do give a damn about Barbas… And you stand up for me so readily…" She chuckled and added quickly, "You really are just a big teddy bear under all those rough edges."  
"Are you so sure about that?" He arched a brow.  
She smirked and tapped her chest, "I know you," then she tapped his chest, "As well as you know yourself. Even the soft, caring bits that you try to hide."

Sylvi relaxed and slowly drifted off to sleep. She planned on starting the scrolls within the next few days but she still had some details to iron out. Clavicus opened one eye and looked at the sleeping Imperial beside him. Her patience and caring nature had been something that irritated him when he first met her, and her smug wit did little to help. But over time he found himself missing that when Sylvi left. Though he only said it out loud once during a drinking session with Sanguine, he was quite fond of having the Imperial around. She didn't blindly follow orders like his regular minions and the creatures that lived in his realm, and showed a genuine concern for those around her. She was honest in her opinion, even if it resulted in a heated argument with either himself or another Daedric Prince. When he saw Akatosh holding her outside the ruin he truly thought… feared that he was going to take Sylvi away.

He looked at Sylvi before placing an arm over her. Even though she had free reign and complete grasp of all her Daedric powers he still felt protective. He claimed 'she is mine', but only when he thought one of the others was going to harm her. He would protect her as best as he could, even if it meant a regular beating from Molag Bal. He frowned slightly and sighed softly. She had many male friends and was very close to the men who had been her companion at one point or another on her travels around Skyrim. He didn't plan on getting between those bonds, there would be no point in it even if he wanted to get involved. He knew Sylvi was very close to the Dunmer, Athis of the Companions. She had an obvious soft spot of the Dunmers of Skyrim. Clavicus closed his eyes and relaxed, if Sylvi chose a life on Nirn then he would let her do so. A thought crossed his mind; what if she wanted her mate to join her? She could easily have the ritual reversed, though it would take a while and require a lot of concentration, and then merge her soul with her mate, allowing them to stay with her for sure.

He sighed again, mentally slapping himself. That shouldn't matter to him. If that's what she wanted then that's how it would be. Sylvi likely had enough on her mind with Akatosh's Scroll and figuring out how to handle the remaining Vigilants. She had enough to deal with; using Akatosh's information in the best way possible, dealing with the Vigilants in the best way possible as well, keeping her Companions safe, keeping Nocturnal's Ebonmere safe, dealing with any Daedric issues in Skyrim, and dealing with Molag Bal as her grandfather. Clavicus' eyes shot open as an idea struck him. A smile played on his lips as he relaxed and fell into a content sleep.

Sylvi awoke to find herself alone in the room. She left the room and wandered through the corridors until she came to the main chamber of the castle. Inside Clavicus and Barbas seemed to be talking about something. Barbas was nodding and seemed quite happy with whatever his master was talking about. Sylvi smiled as she walked over, "And what are you two talking about?"  
Clavicus grinned, "I know you have a lot to do and the Vigilants will likely try and cause more trouble… Though they are no threat anymore." He chuckled, "And I know how you enjoy being independent and work fairly with your travelling companions… So I want to give you something." He snapped his fingers and a Xivilai appeared.

The Xivilai seemed to glare at Clavicus for using the term 'give you something'. Sylvi spoke up, "Uh… Clavicus?... I don't know if I can accept him. I mean… To give another being to someone…"

The Xivilai looked at her and arched a brow before nodding with what appeared to be approval. Clavicus shrugged, "I figured you might need a body guard of sorts. The Xivilai could help keep you safe and assist you on any quests you wish to embark on."

Sylvi looked at the Xivilai and smile, extending her hand, "My name's Sylvi Whitemane."  
The Xivilai looked at her hand before taking it, "Karolth." He looked her over, "I find it hard to believe you serve this Prince… But I will work with you."

Sylvi smiled at Clavicus, "Thank you for the thought. I do appreciate it." She smiled back at Karolth, "Would you like to meet Celestra and my friends? I can see you getting along really well with Vilkas or Marcurio."  
Karolth nodded, "I think that would be interesting. I will wait at the front of the castle for you, Sylvi."

Sylvi turned and smiled at Clavicus before hugging him, "I know you mean well. Thank you."  
Clavicus shrugged, "I can't be watching over you all the time. At least this way you have some extra protection in case something happens on Nirn." He patted her head, "I think you have some things to attend to in Skyrim, correct?"

Clavicus watched as Sylvi nodded before leaving to join Karolth and head back home. Barbas sat at his feet and seemed to chuckle, "That girl has really brought out your soft side."  
"…Shut up."


End file.
